Charlottesville, a small city nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, is a true study in dualities. It’s a college-town of 45,000 that swells with pride (and population!) when the University of Virginia’s 20,000 undergrads and graduate students are in session. Though Thomas Jefferson’s university is an undeniable presence, it is a bustling city in its own right. Charlottesville isn’t abuzz merely because it’s a college town; it actually draws the best and the brightest academics from around the country and the world because it is truly a phenomenal place to reside. Charlottesville feels at once cosmopolitan and comfortable. It is home to a world-class food scene, with upscale restaurants and hole-in-the wall cult favorites, locally-sourced food truck offerings and farm-to-table pop up restaurants, as well as watering holes serving impressive local wine and brews. The urbane vibe is tempered by stunning vistas of the bountiful surrounding farmland, and distant smokey blue mountainscapes. The arts are a dominant force in Charlottesville, with thriving venues such as the Jefferson Theater, The Southern Music Hall, and the NTelos Wireless Pavilion drawing national acts year round. Local musicians provide the live music that pours out of bars, cantinas and dives virtually every night of the week in our fair city. Local theater is alive and well, with frequent performances at Live Arts, the Paramount, and UVA’s own Culbreth Theater, and the visual arts are fostered by Charlottesville’s well-attended First Fridays art openings, as well as annual photography and film festivals. One can work off the wine and cheese from gallery openings by running any of our well-maintained local trails, hiking a course at nearby Skyline Drive, Humpback Rock or Sugar Hollow, attending a class at any one of our many yoga/crossfit/pilates outfits, or simply by jogging on the historic Downtown Mall at a leisurely pace and watching the world go by.

Charlottesville boasts plenty of options for a relaxing weekend; whether you enjoy a round of golf at one of the many local courses, an afternoon of beer or wine tasting, or soaking in the rich history that Charlottesville, Virginia has to offer.